A famous local face - recognized for his knowledge of weather and food - will soon be serving up dinner along with your five-day forecast.

James Brown's Gumbo House and Grill is expected to open in Vidor this spring. It will take the place of Jody Leigh's Restaurant, 995 N. Main, which has been a mainstay in Vidor for nearly two decades.

"For all you wondering...the rumors are true!" posted Jody Leigh's Restaurant on its Facebook page Thursday. "Jody Leigh's is being sold to James Brown and he plans to open James Brown's Gumbo House and Grill in March! We are still open for business until the end of February!"

Brown shared the news on his own Facebook page, promising both fried fish and crawfish. The new eatery will also be taking advantage of the city's 2011 vote to allow the sale of alcohol at restaurants.

Folks at the Vidor Chamber of Commerce say that Jody Leigh's has been a staple in the area for years and they're sad to see it close. But, they are equally excited to hear about a new restaurant opening up.

"It'll be nice to have a little bit more variety," said Amber Woodard, Chamber secretary. "It's nice to have those little spots that are local where you can go in and have something that's not just your everyday food."

The projected menu for James Brown's Gumbo House and Grill includes burgers, Cajun favorites, hot dogs, sandwiches, seafood and "soul food," according to the restaurant's web page.

It will be open for lunch and dinner six days a week, closed on Sundays.

A meteorologist at KFDM for more than 20 years, Brown has also written two recipe books, the most recent being "Simma' Down with James Brown," which became available for purchase in 2010.